For the most part, there is just too much for us to deal with on any given day. I know we all deal with a lot but right now our family has a double load on our plates…it’s just the way it is. So, Father, I would ask for strength, love, wisdom, and patience to get through every moment of every day. We fall into Your arms of grace and mercy.
John 7:1-9 (<<click here to read the passage)
My first reaction in reading today’s text was in relation to what Jesus’ brothers said to Him. (A note from the Amplified Bible – The younger sons of Mary and Joseph included James and Jude, who penned the New Testament letters bearing their names, and Joses and Simon. See Mark 6:3.) Verse 5 tells us, “For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.”
Here is what they said in verses 3 and 4,
“Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” AMP
It’s easy for siblings to dish out more than their share of grief, deserved or in this case undeserved. But it made me think of the old phrase, “Blood is thicker than water.” We usually think that that means familial connections should be more binding than other connections we might have with friends and acquaintances. Well, Massey and I were talking about this, and he mentioned that the original meaning of the phrase was really the exact opposite of how we interpret it. And it’s true.
As I did a little digging, I came across a blog that did a great job of addressing the phrase and its origins. The blog is The Mom With Brownies and the post that I read was entitled, BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER… (<<click on the title to read it.)
For my purposes, a shortened version will do.
Biblical covenants often involved cutting an animal in half and the parties making the covenant would stand together between the halves, in the blood, with their right hands clasp, and swear a mutual oath binding them to each other. In some cases, each party would cut their respective hands, bind them together with the other party, allowing their blood to mingle. The resulting union of this blood oath was never to be broken. In effect, the two participants in the covenant would become “blood brothers,” and thus become one flesh.
The relationship born of this union was so knit, that brothers made through the blood of covenants were closer to each other than brothers who were born from the same womb. Hence, blood (of the covenant) is thicker than water (of the womb).
The author goes on to share the stories of Johnathan and David from the Old Testament and of Jesus and His disciples from the New.
Jesus’ covenant with us runs as deep as the blood He shed to seal it. At this point, Jesus’ brothers were not behind Him. They didn’t believe that He was who He said He was. They eventually came around but for now, Jesus was on His own – it was just Him and His heavenly Father.
Lord Jesus, my goal is to be a “blood brother” with You. As the old hymn goes, “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.” I know Your oath will never be broken with me, but I pray that my blood oath may never be broken with You. Amen!
June 9th, 2021, Wed, 8:52 pm
